Scripture:

“Therefore, my brethren, you were made to die to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.” Romans 7:4

Observation:

I must “die to the law” in order to be truly “joined to Christ.” Legalism kills true faith in Christ.

Being joined to Christ is the key to fruitfulness. All who are truly joined to Christ will bear fruit. The fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of good deeds, the fruit of making disciples – all come form our union with Christ.

Application:

Abide in Christ (John 15). Never slip back into believing that God accepts me because of my morality, my goodness, my law-keeping. I am accepted in Christ and in Christ alone! Remember this, glory in it, and preach it!

Help others as well. I regularly encounter Christians who bear no fruit for God. Is it possible they’re not really “joined to Christ”? That they attend church, read the Bible, etc, but are still trusting in their own righteousness; and thus, their religious striving doesn’t produce fruit? Preach the gospel even to church attenders who may not be born again through saving faith in Jesus!

Prayer:

Father, thank you for Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior. Jesus, in You alone do I trust for my salvation. And in You alone do I trust to make me fruitful. Yes, I want to work hard, discipline myself, prepare for service, obey You, etc, but I know that apart from You, I can do nothing.

And so, I will abide in Christ. I will remember You; I will seek You.

Jesus, I know You, but I want to know You better, to desire You more, to trust You more deeply, to see You live Your life more fully in me.

And use me to help others who are religous but not born-again to find You in truth and reality.

‘Tis the night before Christmas and I have all the typical warm and wonderful feelings that come with this time of year.

But my heart is also heavy as I think of our brethren in India. This looks to be a tough Christmas for them.

Christmas is the time of year in which Christians can publicly declare their faith and be tolerated in this predominately Hindu country. Many of the larger stores are decorated and have Christmas sales just like here in America. Our closest friends there have a tradition of visiting the local jail, giving the prisoners an apple and then presenting them with the gospel. Later in the day, they go into the streets with their Christmas program explaining to Hindus what Christmas is all about.

But not this year.

A new political party has come to power in India that is hostile to Christianity (as well as Islam or any other non-Hindu religion). Therefore, our friends have been denied permission to visit the prisoners as well as any other organized presentations of the gospel message. And they must be on guard when doing any type of evangelism because they know the police are unlikely to come to their aid if a mob of Hindus attacks them.

But it gets even worse. Even though it is technically illegal, there are multiple reports of Hindu groups offering significant amounts of money for people to “reconvert” back to Hinduism. They have chosen Christmas day as the day for these mass reconversions.

Of course, these folks in India are not the only ones suffering persecution and religious hatred this Christmas. ISIS has displaced and murdered tens of thousands of Christians in Iraq and Syria. Boka Haram continues to terrorize the people of Nigeria — especially the Christians of southern Nigeria. War in Ukraine continues to ravage lives of believers we know there.

Here in America, we are facing our own unrest in which “social justice advocates” are rising up against law enforcement (I have much I’d like to say about this, but I don’t think Christmastime is the time to do so).

All of this causes me to reflect on the importance of the real Christmas story and gospel message. Real peace on earth will never come until people have peace in their own heart. And people won’t have peace in their own hearts until they have peace with God. And peace with God only comes through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

And so, on this Christmas Eve, I am thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God’s gift to us. Those of us who truly know Him have His peace ruling in our hearts — a peace that passes all understanding. I pray for this peace to fill your heart this Christmas season and all year long.

And if you’ve read this far, can I ask you to take just a moment and pray for our persecuted and suffering brethren around the world (India, Iraq, Nigeria, Ukraine, etc) and those in racially torn communities here in America. Let’s hope and pray that the Prince of Peace will one day soon rule in each of these places.

Scripture

“For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.” –Romans 6:19

Observation

Both sin and righteousness are processes. As I choose to DO something good or bad, it affects my future choices as well.

Many people give themselves to sin. They spend money on sin, stay up late to sin, wear themselves out to sin, make plans to sin, etc. We believers should give ourselves to righteousness in the same way.

Application

As an unbeliever, I didn’t “give myself to sin,” but I did have my idols: particularly sports. I was dedicated to getting better and winning. This was my passion, and it filled my mind and heart. I had specific areas to focus on and improve through practice. HAVE THIS SAME DILIGENCE TO PRACTICE LOVE, FAITH, SERVING, EVANGELISM, etc.

Prayer

Father, You have made us humans to be creatures of habit. I can have habits of my body that make it easy to sin and habits that make it easy to live righteously. In Christ, You have freed me from the power of sin; now it is my responsibility to give myself–the members of my body–to You as instruments of righteousness. And I do offer myself to You!

I pray I will be habitually righteous! I pray that I will never give any part of myself over to sin, impurity or lawlessness.

In the same way I dedicated myself to basketball, I give myself to You to become the best disciple of Christ I can possibly be. O Holy Spirit, coach me in holiness. Help me to see where I am not like Jesus and lead me into the path of greater Christ-likeness. Thank you that You have been doing that all these years and will continue “coaching” me until the very end!

Scripture

“Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourself completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” —Romans 6:13

Observation

The life Jesus gave us is lived out through our BODY. These inner spiritual truths must become physical realities. Our bodies must be an instrument (a tool, a weapon of war) for righteousness—not for evil.

I am to give my ENTIRE body to God—every single part of who I am. When I give my body to God, it results in LIFE! When I give my body to sin, it results in death.

Application

Pray through my entire body and give it as a gift to God. Hold nothing back! True life is found only in TOTAL SURRENDER.

Prayer

Father, thank You for making me alive in Jesus Christ. This very day, I once again offer my very body to You as a living and holy sacrifice. I offer my self/my body to be a weapon of righteousness for Your glory.

Lord, live Your life through me: see through my eyes, through my hands, through my feet, through my mind, through my heart, through my mouth.

Might every part of my body—both in public and in private; when people see me and when only You see—be holy and wholly dedicated to You!

This is where true life and joy is to be found! I reject the devil’s lies, the world’s lure, and the temptations of the flesh! I embrace life in Jesus.

Scripture

“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.” –Romans 6:6

Observation

This is past tense: Our old self HAS BEEN crucified. Sin has lost its power in a believer’s life. We are no longer slaves to sin. We once were, but no more. Christ is Master! Sin has no power over me unless I allow it to. I am free from sin and alive to Christ!

Application

BELIEVE THIS! Believe I am free. Just as the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves (later enforced by the Civil War), many slaves had been slaves for so long that they didn’t know how to be free. They couldn’t perceive themselves as free men. Likewise, many believers never EXPERIENCE real freedom from sin’s power because they don’t BELIEVE they really are free. Learn these truths. Believe them. Speak them. Pray them. Teach them. Step out in humble faith until I am daily LIVING them!

Prayer

Father, thank You that I have died with Christ. The old sinful self is dead! And yet so much around me–my environment, my physical body, my temptations, the world, etc. can tell me the old sinful man still lives.

I choose to BELIEVE Your Word and consider myself dead to sin.

And I thank You that over the years, this has become my experience. Thank You that so many besetting sins that used to dominate my life are no longer even a temptation! Thank You that You have been renovating my life and making me more like the Christ who lives in me!

I know Your work is not done. You’re still refining me and making me more a man of pure, holy love. And so today, I freshly offer myself to You as a living sacrifice. I ask You to refine and purify me.

And I pray that I, for my part, will believe more deeply the awesome truth: SIN HAS NO POWER OVER ME! I’M FREE! CHRIST IS MY MASTER!

Scripture

“The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe. The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense, they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.” –Proverbs 18:10-11

Observation

Some people trust in money for their security and safety. The godly trust in the Lord! He is our fortress! We are to RUN to Him–quickly, swiftly. Most people run to money for their security, but to think money will make you safe is an illusion; it can be gone in an instant (especially in our day when all our money is simply stored as a digit on a computer!)

Application

How do I run to the Lord–take refuge in the Lord? I don’t think this means I can’t have money; it means I shouldn’t TRUST money. I should follow the admonition on all our currency: IN GOD WE TRUST! This is an issue of the heart. This trust in the Lord is developed through awareness, spiritual sensitivity, prayer, trials, testings and choices to OBEY what the Spirit says regarding money.

Prayer

Father, You have been, You are, and You will always be my Refuge, my Fortress, my Strong Tower! I trust in You! But I live in a world in which people all around me trust in their money. I would be naive to think I’m not affected by these constant messages of trusting in money. Help me be aware of times I put my trust, my hope, or my security in anything but You–my Provider in time of need and my Strong Tower in times of trouble.

As I age and face the reality of one day having diminished health, help me to plan appropriately in a God-honoring way and to remember that no amount of wealth can make me secure without You as my Strong Tower. Father, I’m counting on You for my future as I have my past. You have been faithful and always will be!

Wouldn’t you agree that our country — indeed, our world — needs Jesus!

Images of violence in our nation’s cities and atrocities committed by radicals overseas remind us that something has gone terribly wrong with our world — something that is beyond the scope of politicians or educators to fix.

At its root, our problems are spiritual in nature.

We’ve been alienated from God since the Garden of Eden and our deep need is to be reconciled back to God.

And Jesus is the One who can do it!

This is the moving hope of Christmas: “There has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!” (Luke 2:11)

This message of hope, love and truth is the message I’ve been actively, aggressively and tirelessly spreading on campuses all over American for over 35 years.

In that time, thousands of lives have been touched by the powerful, life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps your life — or the life of someone you know — has never been quite the same after spending an afternoon on campus with me evangelizing the lost and defending the truth against the attacks of skeptics.

But please don’t think I’m a one-man-show.

Obviously, I am what I am by the grace of God and all that is done through me is done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

But I also have a whole team of folks who partner with me in taking the gospel to our nation’s campuses.

People just like you who

have benefitted from our work

and who want to see the gospel continue going forth in a bold, persuasive and gracious manner.

We call these team members “ministry partners” because they really do partner with us in advancing the gospel.

How do they do this?

They pray for us and they financially support our work.

Would you please consider joining our team as a TSCM ministry partner?

Becoming a TSCM Ministry Partner allows you to become part of a team impacting our nation’s youth, but joining this month allows you to have twice the impact!

A generous supporter of our ministry has promised to match whatever amount is given during December up to a total of $5,000!

Scripture

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” Romans 5:1

Observation

Definition of peace (BCR Lexicon): the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatever sort that is. Harmony and concord between individuals.

This peace is the result of faith in Christ our Savior.

Application

I’ve experienced this peace with God for so long that it’s difficult to remember how my soul was once NOT at peace with God. I lacked assurance of His forgiveness. I was burdened with guilt, questioned the purpose of life and was troubled in my soul. I must remind myself that this is how others feel. To offer them the peace of God through Jesus Christ– so that their soul can be at rest–is a priceless treasure.

Share this message of peace with ALL people–saved and lost alike–so that they can experience rest in their soul.

This must be more of my gospel message–Peace with God!

God does not promise peaceful circumstances, but He promises peace with Him. In the world we have tribulation, but He gives rest to our soul, even in trials.

Peace with God comes first and then peace with ourselves, our friends, and even our enemies. The reason I hold not animosity toward others is because I have peace with God!

Prayer

Father, thank You for this awesome gift of peace with You through my Lord Jesus Christ. Your peace has sustained me through the raging storms of life. Thank You!

Help me not to project these feelings onto others. Most people don’t have peace with You. They’re seared of You–and rightfully so. But Jesus is the answer. He comes to reconcile us to the Father. This is the message You’ve entrusted to me. Might I preach this hope with all my heart.

Scripture

“Yet in spite of this word, you did not believe the Lord your God.” –Deuteronomy 1:32

Observation

Moses is addressing the Israelites and reminding them of their journey from Egypt until this point–the 40th year of being in the wilderness. Moses reminded them of how God went before them, fought for them in Egypt, carried them through the wilderness, and guided them by day and by night. Yet, they still did not believe the Lord when He told them that they’d defeat the Amorites.

Application

God is always with me. He goes before me, He lives in me, and He works in all things for the good of those who love Him. He’s changed me over the years and grown me. He’s seen me through difficult times and transitional times and has blessed me immensely over the years…yet, it’s so easy to forget His goodness and faithfulness when I’m not focused on Him.

Prayer

Lord, help me to remember Your faithfulness, Your goodness, Your love and Your mercy. May I never forget that You are not only with me–You’re in me. You give me the strength and power to live a life worthy of praise. Thank you.

Scripture

“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.” –Romans 4:20-21

Observation

Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90 years old–beyond child-bearing age. Abraham pondered this; he was not in denial. He knew how difficult it would be to have a child. He and Sarah had failed to conceive hundreds-perhaps thousands of times. And yet, he kept trying and kept believing because of God’s promise.

His faith was based on God’s promise–God’s word to him. The promise meant more than the adverse circumstance. Abraham believed in a big God–a God far bigger than the very laws of nature!

I’m struck with how long Abraham believed. He first heard from God 25 years earlier with no indication of hearing again until he was 100. What perseverance he had!

Application

Base my life on God’s promises rather than my circumstances. Realize God is at work even though His timing might not be the same as mine. We can’t put a time-limit on God’s promises.

There’s a popular quote going around, “The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over, expecting different results.” There is certainly some truth to this, and yet, it’s not always this way with God. He has His purpose and his timing. Sometimes He wants us (like Abraham) to simply be faithful, and He will give us the desired results in His own time.

Persevere in faith. Never forget God’s command and His promises.

Prayer

Father, I thank you for the example of Abraham. I confess that I desire results in my timing, but I choose to submit to Your timing.

I pray I will not lose faith as I age and some of my hopes have not yet been fulfilled. I have believed–and continue to believe–that You will use me to raise up a mighty army of gospel workers to reach this world for Christ in my generation!!!

Where I need to change, let me do so, but might I never stop believing Your mission for me and Your promises to strengthen me for the task You’ve called me to.